Answered, that it was for the purpose of giving information to the Holy Office respecting a certain soldier of the regiment of Asturias in the garrison of this city. This person was called Don Antonio, and was by birth a Neapolitan, a robust, middle sized man, with a dark complexion, and about twentyfour or twentyfive years of age, which was all the description the deponent could give. On the evening of the eleventh of the present month, the deponent and the abovementioned Felipe Matheu were in company with five soldiers at the house of the said Matheu. Among these was the abovenamed Don Antonio, and this person declared in conversation with the deponent that he possessed the faculty of discovering the thief when a thing was stolen. This he had performed in the following manner. On a certain occasion one of his friends was lamenting the loss of some money which had been stolen from him, when he, the said Don Antonio, replied, that he would discover the thief. He then wrote the names of all the persons present upon separate pieces of paper, and threw them into the fire. Those which contained the names of the innocent were consumed, but the one containing that of the thief remained. Nobody was able to take this out of the fire except Don Antonio. The paper was kept from consuming by the power of the words Christo Señor Nuestro, uttered by him, and it was drawn out from among the coals by the help of this expression; ‘Ego sum. Factus est homo. Consummatum est.’ Besides this he knew another way of practising this divination; and this was to collect the ashes made by the papers, and rub them on the back of his hand, where they would leave marked the name of the thief. Furthermore he stated that he possessed another method of accomplishing this purpose, but this he did not explain.
This conversation having been heard by the abovementioned Felipe Matheu, he rebuked Don Antonio, and this last replied that what he had done he would repeat even before the Inquisitors, or, if that was of any consequence, after communion, inasmuch as he used the words which had been uttered by Christ. Proceeding in the conversation with the deponent, he told him that he had some instruments in his pocket which were useful for many things. He then drew from his right pocket a paper folded up and containing two or three coils of something which the deponent did not see distinctly, on account of the darkness, but felt and handled them. The deponent asked Don Antonio where he had obtained the above knowledge. He replied that he had got it by studying a book of magic which he possessed; that he had learned from this the secret of making himself invisible, and also to render a man invulnerable to thrusts with a sword, a trial of which last he would make upon a dog or cat and show the efficacy of it. The deponent asked him if he knew any secrets relative to playing at ball. He answered that he did not remember any at present, but would make some researches and call upon the deponent at his house, when he would teach him a secret to gain the favor of the ladies. This was agreed to, and the deponent described the house to him. He offered him money if he would discover all his arts, which he did for the purpose of laying the whole before the Holy Office for the benefit of the Catholic Faith.
Questioned, if any other persons heard the above conversation, or knew anything relating to it.
Answered, that the abovementioned Felipe Matheu heard a great part of it, as also Joseph Masquef, scrivener, who lived in the same house, Joseph Jordan, a servant, and two Alguacils, a father and son, who were in the company, and whose names he did not know.
Questioned, if he had made this declaration out of any malice which he bore to the said Don Antonio.
Answered, that he had made it solely from the impulse of his conscience, and because he believed the above things were contrary to our Holy Faith. He affirmed that the whole was the truth, promised secrecy, and signed his name.
Joaquim Gil.
Before me—
Dr Joseph Montes,
Presbyter Notary of the Holy Office.